U.S. patent application number 11/903474 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-26 for plunger foot assembly for a glassware forming machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas R. Kirkman.
Application Number | 20090078005 11/903474 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40149712 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090078005 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kirkman; Thomas R. |
March 26, 2009 |
Plunger foot assembly for a glassware forming machine
Abstract
A plunger foot assembly includes a preassembled gearbox for
mounting on a section box base plate of a glassware forming
machine. The preassembled gearbox has an input and an output gear
with an internally threaded central opening. A hollow externally
threaded shaft is threadably coupled to and extends from the
internally threaded opening of the output gear. A plunger support
is mounted on the hollow externally threaded shaft such that
rotation of the output gear of the gearbox raises and lowers the
plunger support. The plunger support has an upper face for mounting
at least one plunger with air ports of the plunger opening at the
face of the support. The plunger support also has air passages for
feeding plunger up, plunger down and plunger cooling air to the air
ports of a plunger mounted on the plunger support, and a cooling
air exhaust passage for feeding cooling air exhaust from the
plunger mounted on the support to the hollow interior of the
externally threaded shaft. At least one telescoping tube assembly
has a base for mounting on the section box base plate, and
telescoping tubes with inlet ports for receiving plunger up,
plunger down and plunger cooling air and outlets coupled to the air
passages in the plunger support.
Inventors: |
Kirkman; Thomas R.;
(Napoleon, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OWENS-ILLINOIS, INC.
ONE MICHAEL OWENS WAY, THREE O-I PLAZA
PERRYSBURG
OH
43551-2999
US
|
Assignee: |
Owens-Brockway Glass Container
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
40149712 |
Appl. No.: |
11/903474 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
65/171 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C03B 9/3816 20130101;
C03B 9/406 20130101; C03B 9/1936 20130101; C03B 9/3645 20130101;
C03B 9/3636 20130101; C03B 9/3825 20130101; C03B 9/3627 20130101;
C03B 9/1934 20130101; C03B 9/3891 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
65/171 |
International
Class: |
C03B 9/00 20060101
C03B009/00 |
Claims
1. A plunger foot assembly for mounting on a section box base plate
of a glassware forming machine, which includes: a preassembled
gearbox for mounting on the section box base plate, said
preassembled gearbox having an input and an output gear with an
internally threaded central opening, the hollow externally threaded
shaft threadably coupled to and extending from said internally
threaded central opening, a plunger support mounted on said hollow
externally threaded shaft such that rotation of said output gear of
said gearbox raises and lowers said plunger support, said plunger
support having an upper face for mounting at least one plunger with
air ports of the plunger opening at said face, said plunger support
having air passages for feeding plunger up, plunger down and
plunger cooling air to the air ports of a plunger mounted on said
plunger support and a cooling air exhaust passage for feeding
cooling air exhaust from a plunger mounted on said support to the
hollow interior of said externally threaded shaft, and at least one
telescoping tube assembly having a base for mounting on the section
box base plate and telescoping tubes with inlet ports for receiving
plunger up, plunger down and plunger cooling air, and outlets
coupled to said air passages in said plunger support.
2. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said
inlet ports of said at least one telescoping tube assembly are on
said base of said telescoping tube assembly.
3. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein said
telescoping tube assembly includes three outer tubes suspended from
said base and having respective upper inlet ends connected to said
inlet ports, and three inner tubes slidable within said outer tubes
and having respective upper outlet ends connected to said plunger
support.
4. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein said
plunger support includes a plunger foot mounted on said hollow
externally threaded shaft and a plunger sole plate mounted on said
plunger foot, said plunger sole plate having air passages with
inlet ends coupled to said upper outlet ends of said inner tubes
and outlet ends on said upper face of said plunger sole plate for
operative coupling to air inlet ports of a plunger mounted on said
plunger sole plate.
5. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 1 wherein said
upper outlet ends of said inner tubes extend through said plunger
foot into sealing engagement with an undersurface of said plunger
sole plate.
6. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 5 wherein said
upper outlet ends of said inner tubes have enlarged ends that seat
in pockets on said plunger foot in sealing engagement with said
undersurface of said plunger sole plate.
7. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 6 wherein said
enlarged ends include annular collars secured to said upper outlet
ends of said inner tubes and annular seals carried by said collars
for sealing engagement with said undersurface of said plunger sole
plate.
8. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 7 wherein said sole
plate is mounted to float with respect to said plunger foot.
9. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 4 wherein said
plunger sole plate includes passages for feeding cooling air
exhaust from plungers mounted on said plunger sole plate through
said plunger foot to said hollow externally threaded shaft.
10. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 9 wherein said
plunger foot includes an upper surface with a pocket surrounding an
upper end of said hollow externally threaded shaft, and said
plunger sole plate includes passages for feeding plunger exhaust
air through said plunger sole plate to said pocket and thence to
said hollow externally threaded shaft.
11. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 10 wherein said
pocket on said upper surface of said plunger foot is centrally
positioned in said plunger foot, and wherein said upper outlet ends
of said inner tubes extend through said plunger foot at positions
around a periphery of said plunger foot.
12. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 11 wherein said
plunger support, including said plunger foot and said plunger sole
plate, are rectangular.
13. The plunger foot assembly set forth in claim 3 wherein said
plunger support has air passages and air exhausts for mounting
three plungers on said support, and wherein said at least one
telescoping tube assembly comprises three telescoping tube
assemblies, one for each plunger mounted on said support.
Description
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a plunger foot assembly
for raising and lowering the plunger(s) of a press-and-blow
glassware forming machine.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] In press-and-blow glassware forming machines, a molten glass
gob is fed into a blank mold and a plunger is moved into the blank
mold to form the molten glass against the confines of the blank
mold cavity. The glass blank or parison formed in the blank mold is
then transferred to a blow mold for further processing. At the
blank mold stage, the plunger, or the plungers in a multiple-cavity
forming machine, are carried by a plunger foot assembly for
adjusting plunger height to accommodate blank molds of differing
sizes and/or for retracting the plunger(s) for maintenance or
repair. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide an
improved plunger foot assembly.
[0003] The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can
be implemented separately from or in combination with each
other.
[0004] A plunger foot assembly in accordance with one aspect of the
present disclosure includes a preassembled gearbox for mounting on
a section box base plate of a glassware forming machine. The
preassembled gearbox has an input and an output gear with an
internally threaded central opening. A hollow externally threaded
shaft is threadably coupled to and extends from the internally
threaded opening of the output gear. A plunger support is mounted
on the hollow externally threaded shaft such that rotation of the
output gear of the gearbox raises and lowers the plunger support.
The plunger support has an upper face for mounting at least one
plunger with air ports of the plunger opening at the face of the
support. The plunger support also has air passages for feeding
plunger up, plunger down and plunger cooling air to the air ports
of a plunger mounted on the plunger support, and a cooling air
exhaust passage for feeding cooling air exhausted from the plunger
mounted on the support to the hollow interior of the externally
threaded shaft. At least one telescoping tube assembly has a base
for mounting on the section box base plate, and telescoping tubes
with inlet ports for receiving plunger up, plunger down and plunger
cooling air and outlets coupled to the air passages in the plunger
support.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The disclosure, together with additional objects, features,
advantages and aspects thereof, will best be understood from the
following description, the appended claims and the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned perspective view of a
section box frame in which a plunger foot assembly is mounted in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the section box
and the plunger foot assembly taken substantially along the line
2-2 in FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plunger foot assembly in
FIGS. 1 and 2 apart from the section box frame;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the plunger foot assembly
illustrated in FIG. 3;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary partially sectioned perspective view
of the plunger foot assembly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the plunger foot assembly in
FIG. 3 with the plunger sole plate removed;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a partially exploded fragmentary perspective view
of the plunger foot assembly in FIG. 6;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the gearbox and
gearbox drive in FIGS. 3 and 6; and
[0014] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the gearbox in
FIGS. 1-6 and 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a plunger foot assembly 20 in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure
mounted on the base plate 22 of a section box frame 24. The
exemplary embodiment of plunger foot assembly 20 illustrated in the
drawings is suitable or adapted for mounting three laterally
aligned and spaced plungers 26, of which only one is illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2. The plunger foot assembly of the present disclosure
can readily be adapted for mounting one, two, four or more
plungers. Section box frame 24 is part of an operating section of
an individual section glassware press-and-blow glassware forming
machine.
[0016] Plunger foot assembly 20 includes a gearbox 30 mounted on
section box base plate 22. Gearbox 30 preferably is preassembled,
and includes an input gear 32 (FIGS. 8 and 9) coupled to an output
gear 34 through one or more intermediate gears 36,38. Input gear 32
is coupled to an input device for selectively rotating the gears
and thereby raising and lowering the machine plungers, as will be
described. In the exemplary embodiment, this input device comprises
a hand-operated crank 40, although motor or other actuator-driven
inputs also are contemplated. Gears 32-38 are captured within a
housing that includes a base 42 and a lid 44. The housing
preferably is suitably sealed to capture lubricant within the
housing.
[0017] Output gear 34 has an internally threaded central opening 46
that aligns in assembly with an opening 48 in cover 44 and an
opening 50 in base 42. A hollow externally threaded shaft 52 (FIGS.
2-3 and 5-8) extends through openings 48,50, and is threadably
coupled to and extends from internally threaded center opening 46
of output gear 34. A mounting flange 54 can be secured to the upper
end of hollow internally threaded shaft 52. A plunger support 56 is
mounted on the upper end of hollow externally threaded shaft 52,
preferably by being secured to shaft mounting flange 54. Plunger
support 56 in the exemplary embodiment of the disclosure includes a
plunger foot 58 to which a plunger sole plate 60 is mounted, such
as by screws 61. The openings in sole plate 60 for screws 61 are
slightly enlarged, and washers 63 underlie the heads of screws 61
to allow the sole plate to float with respect to plunger foot. In
this way, the plungers 26 mounted on sole plate 60 are centered
with the upper plunger collars 65 (FIG. 1) as the plungers are
raised. Plunger sole plate 60 has an upper face 62 with a plurality
of air outlet ports 64 (FIGS. 3 and 5) for feeding operating air
(plunger up and plunger down) and plunger cooling air to plungers
26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) mounted on sole plate 60. Ports 64 also feed
cooling air exhausted from plunger 26 to the interior of support
56, as will be described. Plunger sole plate 60 also can include
pins 66 or the like for locating the plungers on the sole plate and
aligning the air inlet and outlet ports on the bottom of the
plunger with corresponding openings 64 in face 62 of sole plate
60.
[0018] A telescoping tube assembly 70 is provided for each plunger
position on sole plate 60. Thus, in the exemplary embodiment in
which there are three plunger positions on sole plate 60, there are
three telescoping tube assemblies 70 as best seen in FIG. 3. The
telescoping tube assemblies preferably are identical. Each
telescoping tube assembly 70 includes a base 72 for mounting on the
section box base plate 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Base 72
has input ports 74,76,78 for receiving plunger up, plunger down and
plunger cooling air from suitable pneumatic control mechanisms.
Outer tubes 80,82,84 have open upper ends connected within base 72
to inlet ports 74,76,78 respectively. The lower ends of outer tubes
80,82,84 are closed, as best seen in FIG. 4. Inner tubes 86,88,90
are slidably mounted by seals 91 within respective outer tubes
80,82,84. The lower ends of inner tubes 86,88,90 are open. The
upper ends of the inner tubes likewise are open and extend through
corresponding openings 92,94,96 (FIG. 7) in plunger foot 58. The
upper ends of inner tubes 86,88,90 are enlarged to capture such
upper ends within sole plate openings. This preferably is
accomplished by annular collars 98 secured around the open upper
ends of inner tubes 86, 88, 90. Collars 98 seat within countersunk
pockets in openings 92,94,96. An annular seal 100 is received
within each collar 98 surrounding the upper end of the associated
inner tube. When plunger sole plate 60 is secured to plunger foot
58 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the upper ends of the inner tubes
align with and sealingly surround corresponding air inlet openings
on the undersurface of sole plate 60. Each such inlet opening
connects with a corresponding passage in the sole plate that
terminates at a port 64 in sole plate upper face 62. Thus, for
example, plunger up, plunger down and plunger cooling air can be
fed from inlet ports 74,78,76 in FIG. 6 through outer tubes
80,84,82 and inner tubes 86,90,88 to corresponding passages and
ports in sole plate 60, and then to corresponding inlets of a
plunger mounted on the sole plate.
[0019] Sole plate 60 in the exemplary embodiment includes a plate
body 110 and a plate cover 112 secured by screws 114 to body 110.
The air passages and the outlet ports 64 are machined or otherwise
provided in plate body 64, and the inlet ports are provided in
cover 112 to align with the ends of tubes 86,88,90 and the
associated passages in plate body 110. This construction is
exemplary.
[0020] Plunger foot 58 preferably is substantially rectangular (as
is plunger sole plate 60), and the upper surface of the plunger
foot preferably includes a pocket 102 (FIGS. 6 and 7) that
communicates through an opening 104 with the hollow interior of
externally threaded shaft 52. All cooling air exhaust passages on
sole plate 60 open into pocket 102. In the exemplary embodiment,
shaft 52 is secured to the underside of plunger foot 58 by screws
116 that extend through embossments 118 in pocket 102. Pocket 102
preferably is centrally disposed in plunger foot 58 and is
surrounded by a raised rim 106 through which inner tubes 86,88,90
extend. The countersunk pockets surrounding openings 92,94,96
(three sets in the exemplary embodiment with three plungers 26)
thus are disposed in raised rim 106, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Cooling air exhausted from all plungers mounted on plunger sole
plate 60 is fed through corresponding openings aligned with the
cooling air exhaust ports in the plunger bases, and then through
plunger sole plate 60 to the cavity formed by pocket 102 beneath
sole plate 60. This plunger cooling exhaust air is fed from pocket
102 through opening 104, and then through the hollow interior of
externally threaded shaft 52 and exhausted from the glassware
forming machine.
[0021] Telescoping tube assemblies 70 thus provide for input of
plunger up, plunger down and plunger cooling air to each plunger
independent of the vertically adjusted position of the plungers.
The telescoping tube assemblies also accommodate vertical
adjustment of plunger foot 58, plunger sole plate 60 and plungers
26 mounted on plunger sole plate 60. This vertical adjustment is
accomplished through gearbox 30 and hollow externally threaded
shaft 52 on which plunger support 56 (preferably including plunger
foot 58 and plunger sole plate 60) is mounted. Furthermore, plunger
cooling exhaust air from all plungers is fed to a common exhaust
through the hollow interior of externally threaded shaft 52. The
plunger foot assembly of the present disclosure is usable in
conjunction with glassware forming machines of differing sizes, and
does not require use of hoses or the like for operating or cooling
air. Preassembly of the gearbox allows use of fixed gears at fixed
distances from each other. Tolerance issues are overcome and the
likelihood of the gears jamming is greatly reduced. One plunger
foot and mounting structure can function for a variety of machine
sizes and/or plunger sizes and spacings. Plunger sizes and/or
spacings can be varied by replacing the sole plate.
[0022] There thus has been disclosed a plunger foot assembly that
fully satisfies all of the objects and aims previously set forth.
The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with an exemplary
embodiment, and modifications and variations have been discussed.
Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves
to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing
description. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such
modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad
scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *